hot weather, happiness and house hunting

Addison and I spent the weekend {yes together, finally} in Abilene. This makes the third weekend in a row that I went home, but there's no complaining coming from me! Ofcourse, we had to stop at Green's Sausage House and get my favorite homemade bread and sausage to eat on the way home. 

We got home Friday evening and unloaded our Uhaul that we brought home, in Addison's parents barn, aka our home for when we move back in 2 weeks! After, we ate dinner and then headed to my parents house. We found them sitting on the back porch so we joined them and talked with the peaceful waterfall from the lake trickling in the background. On Saturday, Add and my dad went and played golf while my mom and I had our time to relax and drink coffee. A little while later we went to Carter's {J and Keri's son/my cousin} baseball game at the Wylie Fields. 

the one and only Chandler

Kinley got hot...what this baby girl wants, she gets. Yes Keri did put her dress back on her. 

Carter again, was the cutest one out there and that's all that matters right?

On Saturday night, the Pointer's got to come over for dinner. It's not often that I get to see Cali (until a few weeks) so I was so happy that they all got to come over for a few hours. We had margaritas, chicken, twice baked potatoes, strawberry salad and beans. I didn't eat the beans. Makin' your mouth water? Oh, and for dessert, good ol' banana pudding.

On Sunday, Add got a little surprise from the....Easter bunny! Crazy how it just knows when you'll be in town and when to drop the basket by the front door. We then got in the truck and drove all around Wylie to get some ideas for a house that we thought we wanted to build and to spend some time together, which doesn't come very often. We then went over to the "Abilene" side of town, and actually found some houses that were a good price and in a good location so we'll see where the Lord takes us. 

Sunday morning

Gaygay peaking through the kitchen window of on the houses we looked at.

We left this morning to come back to College Station. I went to my last class this afternoon for the semester and now it's just getting down to studying for my 3 finals. Addison will be working a lot this week and only has one final and then were home free! {until I start my may minimester next Thusrday; atleast it's online}

Update on mom: she is feeling a little bit better since her stay in the hospital for testing. We still don't know what's going on. She is looking into finding a new cardiologist and neurologist. They had to stop all testing last Thursday while she was there due to some idiot doctor's/nurses following protocol instead of listening to my mom. Long story short, they changed up some of her seizure meds so she is trying to get use to the different side effects. She also still cannot drive for a while.  Please keep her in your prayers as this is a very frustrating time for her. We hope we can figure some things out and that she continues to get her energy back. 

We hope you have a blessed week!

WILW

This week on...

Remember this post two Wednesday's ago? Well I didn't get to it last week so I thought I would just continue it on to this Wednesday. For the last two weeks (and all of my life) I have been praying for my sweet momma. 

My mom is my best friend, I can talk to her about really anything, she's my shopping buddy, my advice giver, we share the same love of reality TV and movies on Sunday afternoon. We have always been close, we had a few years where I was being an immature teenager and thought I ruled the world and didn't need as much guidance but she still stuck by me (like all moms would do hopefully). When I went off to college I was pretty ready to be "on my own." hah! What little I knew then. Our relationship has grown since then and keeps growing all the time. We have always had a special bond with me being her only daughter, which kind of makes me want to have sons and then one daughter, only the Lord knows though.  As most of you know she had open-heart surgery when I was in high school and a stroke a week later. I have always tried to be as sensitive as possible to this because people just don't understand what's it's like to go through life living off of medicine and if you miss one accidentally it makes you feel horrible. People just think you're automatically going to be all better after you have surgery and that's not how it is. She is in a constant struggle to prevent seizures, strokes, blood clots and many other things. I look up to her so much because she is such a fighter and a leader. She still takes care of all her kids even though she feels like crap a lot of the time, goes and sees us wherever she lives and not to mention spends a lot of her time on the phone everyday with her mother (Mawmaw) who has Alzheimer's and Dementia or at her house or taking her to doctor appointments trying so hard to take care of her since my Granddaddy is no longer with us. Meanwhile, running and maintaining her own household and keeping up her relationship with my Dad and us kids. She does a pretty dang good job too. 

So anyways, that is a little background into our relationship and the amazing woman my mom is. So why she was up on my heart to write about this week? Well, for one she is always on my heart, and two she hasn't been feeling very well at all lately and it makes me pray even harder for her. She currently, as of Monday morning has been in a hospital in Dallas getting some testing done to see why she hasn't been feeling well. She and the doctor's don't know if it is mini seizures, TIA'S (mini strokes) or what, but they are working hard right now putting her through different tests to determine what might be the problem. It might be as little as adjusting some of the medication she's on or something bigger, we don't know yet. She has been having extreme migraines and not feeling well the past few days while she has been in this testing hospital due to them already changing up her medication and what not. So all you prayer warriors out there get on your knees, we need some coming our way! I know God is in control I just pray that He would give the doctor's the wisdom to know what is going on with my precious momma. Thanks for prayers. I hope you have a blessed week!

Good food and great people

This past weekend I had to go home again for a few more bridal showers! I got to ride home with one of my besties, Lauren and her sweet sister-in-law Kimberly. On Friday night I went straight to see my sweet babies at the Sander's house. We went to Laurel's "piano recital" so I was told that's what it was going to be. FYI: If Keri ever asks you to go to a "piano recital" at Southern Hills, don't go. We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into. It was an eventful night to say the least. When I got home I got to see my parents, brothers and Trent's gf Kara who I hadn't seen in forever. We tried to watch a movie but I fell asleep within 5 minutes of the start of it. 

Up next was Lauren's ladies shower at Beltway. They had the yummiest food ever, all homemade, I even went back for seconds. Lauren got some great stuff to start out their marriage. After the game I went to Carter's baseball game. He was the littlest one and so cute. 

Saturday night my family and I headed to some sweet friends house, the Niblo's, for yummy burgers. We then tried to watch another movie afterwards and I fell asleep before the movie started. I guess all these showers are just wearing me out! Sunday I stayed home from church with my parents, more with my mom because she has not been feeling well lately (more on that tomorrow). Later in the afternoon I had Courtney's (my friend/future sister-in-law) bridal shower at the Country Club. It was themed in Tiffany blue and was so cute! She also got lots of great things for her and Abe. I was so exhausted at this point. When Courtney and Abbie picked me up to go home I was already asleep in my mind, I was pretty much mute the whole way home. Addison had Abe's bachelor party in San Marcos this weekend and they had a blast. 

When I was home Keri gave me this amazing book called "Fit for My King." I have been reading it and here is a little quote from yesterday:

...this is so true! I am learning to lead a healthier life and that means eating and exercising for the Lord, not myself or not anyone else. It's all for the Glory of God. 

Well, this is the LAST week of classes! I have a ton of things due plus finals to start studying for. Next week is dead week so hopefully I'll be able to get a bunch of things done. I'll be back tomorrow for WILW.

Here's a few cuties to leave you with :)

Julia and Emma: the sweet twin girls that I babysat all last semester at the softball game last Thursday. 

Kinley Grace--love her crooked little smile :)

Hope you have a blessed week!

So it begins!

Wedding season has officially made it's way into my life, with three of my friends/one brother-in-law getting married it will be a pretty busy next couple months! This weekend I went home for one of my best friends (Cali) shower on Sunday. To start the weekend off though, I visited my sweet cousins whom I miss so much!! Keri and I had girl talk and I got my Sanders kids "fix" to last until this Friday when I go back home for more showers! I hung out with my parents on Friday night and ended the night in chair/ottoman and spent the next 3 nights there :) Did I mention that Addison had to go to Katy to help Dallas and Ashlee put in a sprinkler system in their yard--he had a blast being outside and hanging out with his family for the weekend. 

Saturday my mom and I spent some mom and daughter time together. She is not able to drive right now--doctor's orders--because she has been having some things messing with her eyesight. She goes next Monday to do some testing for four days to figure out what exactly is going on, so I got to chauffeur her around town. Saturday night I went to eat at Fuji's with Cali and three of her sweet friends from Waco. Every time I go there I swear that I will never go back but I always do. 

Sunday the Easter bunny made it's way back to my house and left me my Easter basket.

Yes, the Easter bunny left a new summer purse. He/She went ALL out this year. When I was home last weekend my mom and I were watching home videos and we watched an Easter morning when I was about 3 or 4 and you can hear my dad saying "It's just like Christmas!" So with that said, my mom always goes all out for Easter, always has, always will and I love it. This is the first year that my brother's and and I didn't wait on the stairs all together to go get our Easter baskets. I guess that means were finally growing up.

I also finally got the chance to go to Beltway.

Yes I did take a picture during church. They did some big renovations recently so here is our new stage.

I can't wait to move back so that we are able to go here every week and get involved! After church I took a little nap and then my mom and I headed to Cali's wedding shower. She got so many wonderful things to start out her and Kaleb's married life together. i can't wait to everything in it's place in their new house. I also got to see all of my Abilene friends. What a great reunion it was. I miss them all so much.

And to leave you with a little something sweet, here is how I got to spend my morning...

WILW

Today this song made me want to do WILW a little differently.

Today and everyday I am loving the grace that God has given me and the many blessings that He continues to bestow on me and my family. I love how He uses the people in our lives to make us feel better, to love on us and us on them and to be a light for others, and sometimes we just a need a little light in ours lives too. 

Starting next Wednesday I'm going to pick someone that has been on my heart and write about how they have made my life and my walk with the Lord better, how they have blessed me, how special they are to me. I  will be praying for that person the whole week that I post about them--2 days before I write about them and 4 days post writing about them. I hope to somehow bless them in some little way the same way they have been a light to me in my life. There are already so many people that come to mind when I think about these precious people that have been a blessing to me but I will take the next 5 days and begin to pray that Lord will put someone on my heart that needs a little extra encouragement this week and take the time to write them a little (not private) blog letter. No it's not private but one day I will look back and read it and hope that it will encourage me to continue to pray for that person and to be a light for them. 

I'll be back Monday with an update from the weekend. I'm going home after my COMM 335 test on Friday, traveling to Ft Worth on Saturday for a day with my momma, going to support my bff at her Bridal Shower on Sunday and drive home Monday. 

Missing one of the lights in my life.

I hope you have a blessed week. Be a light for someone today!

Our First Easter

This past week I had two tests so the majority of the week was spent studying...no fun at all. After my last test on Thursday I went and worked all my frustration out at "hard core training" at Aerofit. I think I pulled a butt muscle in the process, it gets pretty intense. From there I went all sweaty and gross to watch Addison's city league softball game. I love talking to all the mom's there and seeing their cute kiddos. Jency came out to support the team and ran bases with Addison after the game. 

Friday, my good friend Lauren Keenum came over for a while, hung out until we went and did "body bar" at Aerofit (working out is so much more fun with a friend). We then went and walked around Hobby Lobby looking for some wedding goodies but didn't have much luck. We came back to the apartment, ate lunch and she headed off to go see "The Hunger Games," I stayed at home because I needed to clean and pack a little more for the big move to Abilene. (I'll share photo's soon of what our apartment looks like with boxes taking over our living room) Addison finally got off work at 6:30 so we then headed over to Misty and Frank's for some yummy burgers. Saturday, we woke up early because we had a very big day ahead of us. We got out to the Heifrin's around 9:30, made a quick trip to the grocery store and then headed out to Rockdale for a good ol' Templeton reunion. It was SO pretty there. I met a lot of really nice family, had a huge lunch and took too much advantage of all the desserts...so did Addison. 

Yes, that whole plate is full of desserts. We got back to College Station around 6:00, ate MORE food, spent time with Addison's family and then headed back home so we could get some rest. This morning (Sunday morning) Add and I got to wake up to sweet smiles from baby Annalee. (Ashlee and Dallas stayed with us for the night) Addison got to feed her while everyone got ready. 

He's going to be such a good daddy one day :)

We all then headed to Central Baptist for the traditional Easter sermon. The church service was overflowing with so many people coming out to celebrate Jesus Christ. After church we went back to Misty and Frank's where they had over 30 people show up for lunch and an Easter egg hunt! Misty had everything decorated so cute and Easter-y. We stuffed our faces once again with some really good food and another dessert bar. (I'm hitting the gym hard tomorrow) After we ate we all gathered outside to watch the Easter egg hunt and watch the kids play. 

Left: Jake Right: Ansley (Frank's brothers little girl)

I love that there are always little kids running around, it keeps things exciting. I am also so thankful for mine and Addison's first married Easter together. I realize that the only way we are able to be together and enjoy each other is because of Christ. No, He doesn't take away our selfishness or stubbornness because are very flawed but He did take away our sins so that we would be able to praise His name through our marriage, which is and will be our goal forever. I am so thankful for my husband.

It was also Jency's 2nd birthday today. I snapped a quick pic of her opening up the adorable bathing suit Add and I got for her...too bad I forgot to take a picture of the bathing suit. 

Annalee was a trooper the whole day, even when Jency attempts to rock, hold, hug or maul her. Jency girl is going to be such a good mommy one day. 

and a few extra's from the day...

Addison helping Jency bust her birthday pinata. 

Gaygay playing with her grandbaby 

Addison conked out after lunch

This is what we want to do now...

sleep!

We will be hittin' the sack very early tonight. What's new though, right?

That was a very loaded weekend full of pictures. I am so glad I have this blog to document our life as 'one.' I plan to order a book around year one full of blog posts to show our kids someday. 

We hope you have a blessed week!

The Weekend

There is really nothing much to report here but I'll go ahead and tell you about our weekend for those that might care. Friday, Addison had to work until 6:30, what does this mean for me? BOREDOM. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a little apartment all day long...well maybe one thing...trying to get from one place to another in College Station when its Parents/Ring Weekend. It was crazy to say the least. I feel so bad for all the families that live here full-time, I would get so annoyed. However, it was exciting for all the people getting their hard earned Aggie Rings! What an accomplishment. When Addison got off work we went and ate with his parents (who were in town) and Misty and the kids at Cheddar's, one of my favorites here that I will so much when we move back to Abilene. We were sitting outside around some trees and when we got done eating Jake (who is about to turn 5) decided to pull a limb off the tree, not just a little stick but a limb. It was so funny, they keep things exciting. 

Saturday, Addison and I had a relaxing morning then headed to the Westover house (Addison's old house that his parents own) where we cleaned out the garage/played with Jency the majority of the day. We then went to Misty's house (the hangout place when Add's parents are in town) and laid out in the sun until Addison had to take his parents to the airport so they could fly back to Abilene. When he came back we had a delicious dinner made by Misty and played with kids a little longer until we were so pooped we had to head home and fall into our beds. We rented "Girl With the Dragon Tatoo" before going home and it was actually pretty good. We (I) had to fast-forward through some parts that weren't too appropriate (yes I still fast-forward through parts like I'm 10 years old), just trying to protect me and my hubby. 

Sunday we went to church, finally. We haven't been in like 3 weeks or so because we've been out of town. Our Young Married class was empty, I guess everyone's weekends are just as busy as ours usually are. After church we always go to a restaurant called "Ozona's." We went there one Sunday a few years ago with my parents and have gone back every Sunday (that were in town) since. Addison and I were talking about how we were going to have to find a new restaurant in Abilene to go to every Sunday after church. I don't know if it will stick there though, there's just something special about Ozona's. I'll make sure to document our last trip there before we move and share it. After church I took about a 3 hour nap. I haven't been going to sleep at a normal hour this past week, and if you know me you know this is CRAZY! I usually go to bed around 10:00. I haven't been able to go to sleep until around 1 or 2 this past week so when I wake up at 8:00 I still feel tired, so the nap was much needed. To finish the day off, Add and I went on a nice walk and had a delicious dinner prepared by yours truly. 

So since I haven't been able to sleep lately I thought that maybe if I wore myself out a little bit more throughout the day I might be more tired at night. Today I woke up at 8:30 which sounds early to me but to most people they have already been up for like 2 hours, oh well, the life of a college student. I ate breakfast and headed to class at 10:00. I then went to Body Bar, another thing I will miss dearly when we move back, it kicks my booty everytime, and then had to go to class again at 1:50. I normally park in the parking garage both times I go to class but today I decided to ride Addison's bike, what a concept right? Well I'm hoping it makes me more tired as the day goes on so that when I lay my head down tonight I will go right to sleep. 

-Some things I missed this weekend-

*My good friend's first wedding shower in her fiance's home town. I know that she probably had a blast though and got lots of good things to start out their marriage! Love you Lauren!

*Even though I'm so glad I got to spend time with Addison's family, I missed my brother, Trent, and his girlfriend, that went to visit Abilene. I don't get to see them often at all so it was hard for me not to want to be there too! (Travis lives in Abilene so I am lucky that I get to see him every time I go home.)

*I missed getting my Aggie Ring. (I still blame my idiot advisor; just call me if you want the story, we'll be on the phone forever) I guess that means I will be getting it in September which is kind of exciting because Ring Day is always the weekend of my birthday so it will be a pretty fun coming back to visit C-Stat! 

Anyways, can't for 6:30 tonight. Addison and I are going to try out a new burger place we have been dying to go to...and then going to the library (booo). Pray that I'll remember my study material for 2 tests I have this week. Hopefully I'll be back soon!!

Hope you have a blessed week!